Microblading, a cosmetic tattoo that gives natural-looking, hair stroke brows, is one of the most popular brow enhancements at the moment. But since it’s a tattoo, and the skin is cut in order for the pigment to be inserted, it requires a certain healing period.
Let’s see how long is microblading healing time, is it the same for everyone, and what can speed up or prolong it.
What Is the Average Microblading Healing Time?
The average complete microblading healing time for most clients is 4-6 weeks. The surface healing is up to 14 days long, but the skin underneath continues to rebuild itself for a bit longer.
For most clients, 4-6 weeks is the required time for the brows to completely recover so that they can be touched again. After that, the client needs to re-visit the microblading salon, for the touch up appointment – an additional microblading session that will correct all the imperfections that appeared during the healing period.
Image source: Instagram @kayleighvaughn
What Imperfections Are That?
As the microbladed eyebrows recover, they go through different stages. The beginning of the healing process is the most intense, and there will be some scabbing and peeling. After the brows complete the peeling stage, some patches may appear – parts of the skin that didn’t retain the pigment properly.
Also, a client may ask for some shape or color modifications if they are not completely satisfied with how the brows have healed. That is why the touch up session is required – to add more pigment, modify the shape and fill in the patches.
Can I Book a Touch Up Sooner?
You really shouldn’t ask for a touch up appointment before the brows finish the full healing process. You need to wait at least 4 weeks (ideally 6 to 8) before another microblading session. Otherwise, you risk scarring if the brows are not healed completely.
Image source: Instagram @foxcraft
What Are the Stages of the Microblading Healing Process?
As said above, the brows will go through several stages. Here’s what to expect:
- On the first and the second day, the brows will ooze lymph and the wound will start closing.
- Scabbing starts after 3-5 days. Scabs form and peel off for a couple of days, taking away some pigment with them.
- Light or ghosting stage – the brows appear to be too light after all the scabs have fallen off. They can also look a bit patchy.
- The rest of the healing process – the color is coming back, the brows are taking their final shape
Is Microblading Healing Time the Same for Everyone?
Not really. Some clients will need to wait a bit longer for the touch up, as their brows need more time to heal. Here’s what microblading healing time depends on:
The skin type
Microblading gives the best results for dry to normal skin. People with extremely oily skin don’t make good candidates for microblading – they should try machine brows, such as nano brows or powder brows. So, it can be expected that people with dry to normal skin will have better retention and results.
Microblading will probably heal faster on oily skin, but the brows will look more defined and the pigment won’t blur on dry skin.
Mature skin takes a longer time to heal, so it’s smart to wait the full 8 weeks before a touch up.
Proper aftercare
Proper aftercare is very important. No matter whether you were prescribed wet or dry healing, it’s important to wash your eyebrows every day. That means removing the lymph, dust, and dirt with a damp cotton pad and keeping the brows dry afterward. If you don’t wash your eyebrows it can lead to heavy scabbing, which can prolong the microblading healing time.
Wet or dry healing?
Some artists recommend using the ointment during the aftercare (wet healing), others don’t. It should depend on the skin type – oily skin usually doesn’t need additional moisturization.
Wet healing is said to shorten the microblading healing time. Keeping the wound in an optimally moist environment is said to promote faster healing.
The amount of scabbing
Everybody heals differently. The amount of scabbing is also not the same for everyone – some people will experience noticeable scabs, while others may not see any scabbing at all. This stage usually lasts for around five days, sometimes a bit shorter and sometimes a bit longer. It’s all individual.
So, if this stage lasts longer than expected the microblading healing time will be longer.
However, if the scabbing stage continues for longer than 10 days, contact your artists.
How Can I Shorten the Microblading Healing Time?
Microblading healing time can be really exhausting and annoying, especially in the beginning, when the brows look too dark, then scab, then look too light. But don’t worry, they are supposed to look good after two weeks.
The microblading healing time is not the same for everyone, and you can speed it up only if you follow the aftercare tips, i.e. keep your brows clean and moisturized if advised by the artists.
However, if they are patchy after the scabbing stage, you may feel tempted to ask for a touch up sooner than you are supposed to. But you need to be patient. You really should wait until the full healing process is over.
So, if your microblading artists booked your touch up 6-8 weeks after the initial treatment, you shouldn’t touch your brows before that.
Conclusion
To sum up, the superficial part of the healing process is over after approximately 2 weeks, but you will need to wait longer before the skin underneath recovers. So, be patient and wait the full 4-6 weeks (or as most artists now recommend 6-8 weeks) and then visit your microblading artists for the touch up appointment. Don’t forget to follow the aftercare tips for the best results!
Cover image source: Freepik
